Dhaka, September 2: The Awami League of Bangladesh has alleged that the country has been plunged into a deep crisis since August 2024. The party cites political instability, rising economic pressures, job shortages in industries, health challenges, increasing poverty, and climate-related disasters as contributing factors to a severe humanitarian crisis.
According to the Awami League, various data sources indicate that the crisis has disproportionately affected children, women, workers, and low-income groups. The education sector has seen approximately 33 million children’s studies disrupted due to political instability and climate events. Additionally, the issue of political arrests remains a significant concern. The party claims that over 5,079 individuals were arrested in Dhaka related to 707 cases. Nationally, opposition parties allege that more than 400,000 people have been detained, with around 30,000 still in custody as of November 2025.
In the industrial sector, the Awami League reported that over 500 major export-oriented factories, including garment units, have shut down. By October 2024, more than 300 units had already ceased operations. The income from garment exports has plummeted from approximately $42 billion to $37 billion, reflecting a nearly 12% decline. This has resulted in the loss of about 1.5 million jobs. The Awami League claims that the Beximco Group alone laid off around 40,000 employees, while 80 factories in the leather industry have closed. Additionally, more than 100 factories in Dhaka’s ceramic industry have either shut down or become inactive.
The party highlighted that the industrial crisis has severely impacted women, who make up about 80% of the workforce in the garment sector. However, women account for nearly 90% of those who have lost their jobs, placing additional pressure on their employment and family economic security.
Concerns have also been raised regarding child safety. The party reported that approximately 15,000 general diaries related to child abductions were filed in the seven months following the political changes in 2024.
In discussing health issues, the Awami League noted that the outbreak of measles has become a serious public health crisis. The party stated that the disease has spread across all 64 districts of the country, with routine vaccination coverage declining by about 4 to 5 percentage points each year. Local media reports indicate that six more children died from measles on Tuesday, raising the total number of suspected and confirmed deaths this year to 979.
The Awami League also mentioned that climate-related disasters have exacerbated the crisis. The party claims that the weakening of local administrative structures has hindered disaster prevention and preparedness efforts.
The party concluded that the escalating crisis across nearly all sectors is putting pressure on Bangladesh’s social and economic stability, with the most significant impact felt by children, women, workers, and impoverished families.
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